Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42418021›Full record

SynthesisInternational ophthalmology2026

The relationship between diabetic retinopathy and intestinal microbiota: a systematic review and meta analysis.

Shuoxian Chen, Chao Liu, Weihao Bi, Yao Kong, Wenzhi Huang, Danna Chen, Yunxia Leng

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International ophthalmology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Shuoxian ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
Chao LiuDepartment of Electrocardiogram, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
Weihao BiDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
Yao KongDepartment of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Wenzhi HuangDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
Danna ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China.
Yunxia LengDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology (Guangzhou First People's Hospital), Guangzhou, China. Leng0829@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe results of human observational studies on the correlation between gut microbiota and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are discrepant. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the specificity of the gut microbiota in DR patients compared to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

methodsAll published literature up to October 2024 was searched by two researchers on PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases. Diversity and gut microbiota composition were the main outcomes. The meta-analysis was conducted in Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.3.

resultsEight studies, investigating gut microbiota by collecting stool samples, conducted in China and India were included in this meta-analysis, involving a total of 486 individuals in the T2DM (n = 258) and DR (n = 228) groups. No significant difference in alpha-diversity was observed between T2DM and DR patients. The pooled estimate showed that, at the phylum level, the abundances of Patescibacteria, and Synergistetes were significantly lower, and Verrucomicrobia were considerably higher in DR patients than in T2DM patients. At the genus level, DR patients had an increase in Bacteroides compared to T2DM.

conclusionsIn this meta-analysis with a small number of studies and relatively high heterogeneity, changes in gut microbiota were associated with DR, commonly reflected by a reduction in beneficial species and an increase in pathogenic species influencing metabolic pathways.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Diabetic RetinopathyGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHumansDiabetic retinopathyIntestinal microbiotaType 2 diabetes

Identifiers

PMID42418021

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.